JOINT COMMISSION FOR DIALOGUE BETWEEN 
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE MALANKARA (JACOBITE) SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

REPORT OF THE 1993 MEETING

Ernakulam, 19 November 1993

The Commission for Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church met last year at the new Malankara Syrian Orthodox Theological Seminary in Mulanthuruthy, near Ernakulam, Kerala State, India, on November 19, 1993.

Catholic members of the Commission were:

Bishop Pierre Duprey, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (Co-President of the Commission); Archbishop Joseph Powathil of Changanacherry; Archbishop Kuriakose Kunnacherry of Kottayam; Bishop Cyril Mar Baselios Malancharuvil of Sultan’s Battery; Rev. Dr Clarence Gallagher, S.J., Rome; Rev. Dr Matthew Vellanickal, Kottayam; Rev. Dr Xavier Koodapuzha, Kottayam; Rev. Dr Geevarghese Chediath, Trivandrum; Rev. Bernard Dubasque, Rome (Co-Secretary of the Commission).

Malankara Syrian Orthodox members of the Commission were:

H.E. Thomas Mor Thimotheos; H.E. Yuhanon Mor Meletius (Co-President of the Commission); Rev. Prof. Joseph Chor-Bishop Pulickaparampil; Rev. Dr Adaj Jacob; Rev. Kuriakose Moolayil (Co-Secretary of the Commission) Rev. R. V. Markose; Dr D. Babu Paul; Deacon Biji C. Markose; Deacon Sajii K.V.

The Catholic Bishop Patrick D’Souza of Varanasi and the Malankara Orthodox Metropolitan, Thomas Mor Athanasius, were unable to attend the Mulanthuruthy meeting due to important commitments that coincided with its date, and regretted their involuntary absence.

The Commission devoted almost the entire meeting to the final drafting of an agreement on mixed marriages and a project for Pastoral Guidelines to accompany the agreement and pave the way to better understanding on the part of the clergy and faithful.

The two documents were then submitted to the competent authorities of both Churches for their final approval and for joint publication, at a date to be agreed upon by the two parties.

During the 1993 meeting, the Commission also examined the text of a study by Metropolitan Thomas Mor Athanasius on the theme, “The Bishops’ Function and Role at Local and Regional Levels”.

The meeting that will take place at the Spirituality Centre of the Malabar Syrian Church in Kottayam, November, 18-19 1994, will be devoted to studying two themes: “The Church as Communion”, and “Conciliarity and Synodality”. The Commission will also continue a reflection on the theme of “Common Witness”, which it started at its first meeting in December, 1991.

[Information Service 85 (1994/I) 51]